Linux 4.0 gets reboot-free kernel patching

Okay folks, so Linux 4.0 is here for us. The weirdly codenamed project “Hurr durr I’ma sheep” is a far better OS in comparison to Linux 3.19, and it will definitely bring massive changes to how you use your Linux computer. It’s time to take a close look at some of the major changes that this new version will bring to your computing life.

Reboot free kernel-patching: Perhaps the biggest feature coming with Linux 4.0 is live kernel patching. This feature allows updating of Linux kernel without rebooting the computer, which means if your system is running Linux 4.0 then whenever any new security update is released you’ll be able to upgrade to it without reboot. This may sound like a minor time-saver, but actually is a major feature for mission-critical servers that require maximum uptime. However, don’t expect your Linux computer to start providing rebootless patching anytime soon because it requires a little bit of implementation. But it’s definitely a big deal for all those servers and clusters that require maximum uptime.

Driver improvements: Various driver improvements are also a part of Linux 4.0. These include graphics and power-management support for Intel Skylake processors, support for Intel Quark platform and more integrated support for ARM platform. The AMD Radeon open source graphics driver has also been improved significantly to provide better fan control. Support for DisplayPort Audio has also been added to them. From open-source Nouveau graphics driver for Nvidia GPUs to various other sound drivers, all have been updated. And more interestingly, various patches to make Linux run smoothly on PlayStation 3 have also been added. Sony might’ve removed the “OtherOS” option from existing PS3 consoles, but still the for running Linux smoothly on that platform are being introduced. Other improved drivers include F2FS flash-friendly file system drivers, pNFS drivers for network file systems, OverlayFS drivers for live environments and so on… The list of driver imrpovements being introduced with this version of Linux is even longer!

Linux ecosystem is 20 years old now. New updates are now released more frequently and almost all updates improve the stability of our Linux, making it more secure and making it work more efficiently for us with several new optimizations. It’s important to keep improving Linux as much as possible. Because even if you don’t use it, it’s already empowering a lot of services and websites that you access on your device with the luxury of internet. And if you use it as a computer and love it, well, then you already know the rest of the story. Let’s hope for the best of Linux!